Mitchell Pearce is on the verge of an historic milestone.
The nib Newcastle Knights halfback will run out for his 300th game when the red and blue play the Wests Tigers this Sunday.
Pearce will become the 42nd member of the elite 300-game club, a monumental achievement to join an illustrious list which dates back to the inception of the sport.
The 31-year-old will put his name alongside the likes of Thurston, Fittler, Smith, Lockyer and many more when he runs out in front of his home crowd at 4:00pm on Sunday.
Coach Adam O’Brien spoke about his halfback with the upmost amount of praise and pinned the achievement towards Pearce’s dedication towards his craft.
“He trains the same way he did when he was a 17-year-old I’d imagine. I wasn’t with him (then) but I always admire the physical condition that he's always in and how hard he competes,” O’Brien said.
“He’s a great example of what it takes to play 299 games, he trains exceptionally hard. It’s a good visual for the young (players). If you want to be consistent and play at an elite level, that’s how you need to prepare.
“He’s vital to us and everyone is well connected to him and he’s well connected with us.”
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Pearce has played 61 games for Newcastle since joining the club in 2018 and previously played 239 games for the Sydney Roosters after making his debut in 2007.
The origin representative has played a pivotal role since joining the club.
A strong example of his influence has been his performances in the opening two games of the new season.
Pearce has played a starring role in getting the Knights off to a great start with wins over the Bulldogs and the Warriors.
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“He’s really clear on the field, that is the thing that stands out for me,” O’Brien said.
“We had a game plan there with our kicking (game) to try and nullify (the Warriors) back three and I thought he did that to a tee. He just stuck to the game-plan.
“When you’ve got a young spine there, that’s when those 299 games come to fruition, and in testing conditions. That is when you need your (experienced) guys to stand up and that is what he did for us last week."
Pearce will hope to continue his form and help continue the Knights strong opening.
After making the top eight last season, the squad has its goals set on improving and rising to new heights.
Coach O’Brien said the team will have plenty of motivation to get the victory for Mitchell on Sunday and notch three-straight wins.
“It’s a huge milestone,” O’Brien said.
“It’s important we get the week right, we don’t want to cook Mitchell.
“We want to make it a memorable week and the number one job would be to put in a good performance for him on the weekend."
